December 9, 2022, Lost Goldmine EastTrail, Dacite Cliffs Mine Trail and the Shaka Cave Trail

 We had two Hikes today. The Casa Grande Mountain Hike and Lost Goldmine Trailhead hike. 

Denis lead the Casa Grande Hike and hiked with two other hikers. 

John's hike

Fourteen hikers travelled to Lost Goldmine Trailhead on the Peralta Trailhead Road. 

From this trailhead, we hiked up and down small washes on the beautiful Lost Goldmine Trail, where we see large saguaro, prickly pear, barrel and cholla cacti, Palo Verde and other Sonoran desert plants. After arriving at a dark brown wooden post (where a sign had once been) we noted a barbed wire gate to the right, where the trail starts to Dacite Cliff mine. The fence is also a barrier between Pinal County and Superstition Mountain Park. Dacite is a soft, light-colored volcanic rock. We saw where small waterfalls had run down the worn surface of the cliff. As we continued on the trail to the cliff’s right, we arrived at an old abandoned mine (gold or copper). The park service had covered the entrance with steel bars to discourage people from entering. There is a small opening to allow animals to enter. A few drops of water from recent rains were sprinkling us from over the cliff above. 

We hiked back and then took the Carney Springs Trail to Shaka Cave. There were still rose petals from a ceremony held here last week. We noticed roses and petals along the trail. We can see Carney Springs Waterfall in the distance. 

Lunch was at Shaka Cave before hiking back to the Lost Goldmine Trail. We hiked to the intersection of the “Wave Cave, or the “Apache Kid Cave” (as it used to be called). The Apache Kid's Cave We could see the large cave on the cliffs above.

From here we followed the Lost Goldmine trail, back to the trailhead. About 5 miles. 

                                       

Directions: From Palm Creek we exit right onto Henness Rd. to Cottonwood,make another right and travel the back roads to Florence Junction and then west to Phoenix on hwy. 60. Between milepost 205 and 204 is the first traffic light you will come to and a brown sign saying "Peralta". Turn right at the light and proceed through the residential area and past the school and continue to the gravel road. Travel approximately 6.5 miles where there is a small sign and the trailhead on the left. It is 62 miles and took an hour and ten minutes. If you encounter trouble during the caravan, a good GPS is Lost Goldmine East. 

Summary:

The Lost Goldmine East in the Superstition Wilderness has beautiful scenery. The first mile is fairly flat with views of the walls of the Superstitions, the desert valley flora and distant mountains.

 The Dacite Cliffs Mine Trail is a 2.2 mile out and back trail near Gold Canyon. It is generally considered an easy trail and takes an average of an hour to complete. It is popular for hiking but you can still enjoy some solitude during the quieter times of the day. A rocky trail that needs some trimming will bring you up to the base of the cliffs and to the mine. 

The Shaka Cave Trail is a 3.7 mile out and back  trail in the same area. It is generally considered a moderately challenging hike and takes an average of an hour and a half to complete but if completed the reward is awesome!

( A special thanks to John R and Nancy for pre-hiking these trails! The total distance will be determined by John and the group!)

Please Note:

At this time it's anybody's guess where there will be ample parking at Palm Creek on Friday. We will try to set up in front of the ballroom entrance but if that is not available  we'll try the north side of the mailboxes. Someone will be there to help out! No restrooms available at the trailhead but lots of bushes. Weather in Gold Canyon is forecast to be a high of 59 degrees and partly sunny. Remember, if for some reason a hike must be cancelled, you will receive an email by 6 a.m. and you can go back to bed! For questions, call John Robichaud 207-446-0650 or Jerry Garrison 307-630-0252.

Hope you can make it Friday!